"Sure," you reply nonchalantly, but your heart is pounding in anxiety. Baekhyun lights up and nods ecstatically to his friend, throwing him a thumbs up sign that confirms the plans for the day.

"Where is it?" Baekhyun asks.

"Uh, my girlfriend hasn't told me that yet, but I'll get back to you later. I'll text you," his friend replies just as the bell rings. Baekhyun nods in agreement and grabs his things as his friend walks away, throwing a casual wave over his shoulder. Baekhyun takes your tray, as well, and empties it before throwing any unnecessary items into the trash. You follow Baekhyun into the hallway, maintaining a safe distance from his side as he briskly strides past the lockers.

"Can you come by my house later?" He asks as he inputs the combination for his locker.

"For what?" You ask, momentarily confused.

"Well, for the party later. We're going together, aren't we?" He asks you, as if that is inevitable.

"Oh. Right. Exactly." You clear your throat and look away. "What time should I come?"

"Any time," Baekhyun easily replies as he takes a couple of books out and cradles them neatly in the crook of his elbow. He slams the door shut and turns to you, smiling. "I'll see you later, okay?" Before you can tell him the same thing, he turns around and walks away, leaving you to pick up your bearings off the floor.

What had you just gotten yourself into?

-----

You stand in front of Baekhyun's door, trying to choose between knocking against the wood or ringing the doorbell. Normally, you would've just turned the knob without hesitation, but your new status as Baekhyun's girlfriend holds you back. You know the door is unlocked - Baekhyun never bothers to lock it after he comes home from school - but you decide to take the polite road and lightly rap your knuckles on the door. 

As you wait, you panic over your outfit. You wanted to look nice at the party, but you didn't want to look overdressed or underdressed. These are people you aren't familiar with, people you don't socialize with, and knowing that Baekhyun will be there is no assurance. You worried over your attire, tossing this and that out of your closet and drawers, making your room into a mess. You ended up settling for a simpler outfit, but standing in front of Baekhyun's house, you start to wonder whether dressing up more would have been the better thing to do.

You shake the thoughts from your mind as the door opens. Baekhyun greets you with a startled look in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected you to come. He looks back into the house cautiously before widening the door to allow you inside. He shuts the door behind you and holds a finger to his lips. "My mom is taking a nap," he informs you, and there's something in the quiet murmur of his tone that makes your heart race. You look at his outfit. He's wearing black jeans and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Black accents detail the collar and hem of the sleeve. You look down at your own attire and decide that, for a party, you've dressed yourself appropriately.

"Do you want a drink?" Baekhyun asks you as he turns toward the kitchen. He's never asked you this before. Normally, he'd go right ahead and serve you a cup of water. 

"Uh, sure," you reply and watch him as he retrieves a glass from the cupboard and places it at the refrigerator. A stream of water flows from the spout, and he fills the cup until the water almost reaches the rim. 

"Here," he tells you, and you drink it. You're not really that thirsty, but you consume as much as you can anyway before you set it down on the table with a sigh. He grabs his phone from the counter and tucks it into his back pocket before heading for the front door. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," you nod, opening the front door and walking outside. You follow him off the lawn and onto the street, keeping a comfortable space between your hand and his as you walk. Black birds dot the cloudless sky above, and the faint sounds of the city ride on the wind. Baekhyun walks slowly. You never thought you'd have to struggle to match such a slow pace.

"So where is this party?" You ask him, trying to make conversation.

"We're going to a karaoke place downtown," he tells you. "He says it's gonna be a small par